INDIANA, United States (Reuters) — Presumptive U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said on Tuesday (July 12) the five police officers who were killed in the Dallas sniper attack were “great, great people.”
“We pray for our country,” Trump said at a rally in Westfield, Indiana. “The police are just not part of our society, our police are the best of our society.”
Trump, a wealthy real estate developer, has been presenting himself as “the law and order candidate” and called Democratic rival Hillary Clinton weak. He said she has grown out of touch with the plight of ordinary Americans and cited her making paid speeches to corporate interests as a cause.
Trump has told supporters he is the law and order candidate and urged against violence towards police.
“When our police are attacked, our entire nation is attacked… The hostility against our police has to end and it has to end right now.”
Trump is expected to announce his choice for running mate at a campaign event on Friday, campaign sources said on Tuesday.